New Books in Economics
Marshall Poe
This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field.
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Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: newbooksnetwork.com
Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to get informative, engaging content straight to your inbox: https://newbooksnetwork.substack.com/
Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky to learn about more our latest interviews: @newbooksnetworkSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 13, 2025 • 33min
Pierre-Yves Donzé & Maki Umemura, "Pierre-Yves Donzé & Maki Umemura, Japan and the Great Divergence in Business History" (JESB, 2025)
Pierre-Yves Donzé is a business historian based in Japan, and Maki Umemura, a Cardiff University academic, both delve into the dynamics of Japanese business history. They discuss the decline of Japanese scholarship in global platforms, contrasting firm-level histories with a global shift towards interdisciplinary approaches. Topics include labor narratives in nursing, the impact of westernization on breakfast cereals, and the rise of ethnic Korean entrepreneurship. They also explore the cultural ecosystems behind Pikachu's success and the evolving landscape of financial liberalization in Japan.
Nov 11, 2025 • 1h 17min
Lars Cornelissen, "Neoliberalism and Race" (Stanford UP, 2025)
Lars Cornelissen, a historian specializing in neoliberalism, presents his provocative ideas from his upcoming book on race and neoliberal thought. He explores how racial constructs have always underpinned neoliberal ideology, often overlooked in scholarship. Cornelissen critiques key figures like Mises and Hayek, revealing their complex relationships with race and development theories. He also discusses how these ideas influence contemporary thought and urges critics to prioritize race in anti-neoliberal politics, challenging listeners to rethink familiar narratives.
Nov 10, 2025 • 1h 10min
How Government Made the U.S. into a Manufacturing Powerhouse
Colleen Dunlavy, an Emeritus Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses her book on how government intervention transformed U.S. manufacturing. She highlights the impact of standardization on production efficiency and cost reduction, tracing lessons from World War I to modern times. The conversation explores how mid-sized firms navigated these changes and the role of key figures like Shaw and Hoover in shaping policies. Dunlavy's insights reveal the intricate interplay between government action and industrial evolution, making critical connections relevant today.
Nov 10, 2025 • 40min
Joseph Stiglitz, "The Origins of Inequality" (Oxford UP, 2025)
Joseph E. Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate and Columbia University professor, discusses his latest book, "The Origins of Inequality." He shares insights from his upbringing in Gary, Indiana, that spurred his lifelong passion for understanding inequality. Stiglitz analyzes the drivers of rising inequality since the 1980s, highlighting the role of corporate governance and macro policy failures. He argues that policies promoting equality can also enhance economic growth and emphasizes the importance of modern welfare policies that invest in public insurance and social protection.
Nov 4, 2025 • 1h 8min
Loic De Canniere, "The Future of Employment in Africa: Demography, Labour Markets and Welfare" (Anthem, 2025)
Loic De Canniere is a seasoned macroeconomist and impact investor with over 25 years in Africa. He delves into the continent's booming population and the urgent need for job creation as 20 million new job seekers enter the market yearly. Loic highlights Africa's strengths, like innovative microentrepreneurship and rich natural resources that attract global powers. He provides insights on climate change impacts, increasing intra-African migration, and the promising role of technology in shaping Africa's future. With a balanced view, he challenges pessimism and envisions prosperity.
16 snips
Nov 2, 2025 • 1h 7min
Maxim Sytch, "The Influence Economy: Decoding Supplier-Induced Demand" (Oxford UP, 2025)
Maxim Sytch, an organizational scholar and author of The Influence Economy, delves into how consulting, marketing, and legal firms generate unnecessary demand. He explains supplier-induced demand and its detrimental effects on organizations, such as wasted resources and demotivated teams. The discussion touches on the impact of AI, the role of social influence in professional services, and the difficulty in detecting SID. Sytch also offers practical advice for clients to mitigate these risks, emphasizing the importance of in-house expertise.
9 snips
Nov 1, 2025 • 1h 14min
Nancy Neiman, "Markets, Community and Just Infrastructures" (Routledge, 2020)
In this discussion, Nancy Neiman, a Scripps College professor and author, dives into her book on markets, community, and justice. She critiques conventional economic binaries and highlights how cultural and political contexts shape market outcomes. Neiman shares fascinating case studies, including a Ugandan coffee cooperative, to illustrate the importance of community values over pure profit motives. She also addresses wealth inequality and its implications for market justice, while emphasizing the need for just infrastructures to combat issues like environmental harm and structural racism.
Oct 27, 2025 • 1h 15min
Garrett Hardin’s Tragic Environmentalism
Peter Staudenmayer, a historian from Marquette University, delves into Garrett Hardin's significant yet controversial impact on environmentalism. The discussion highlights Hardin's Malthusian views, linking population control with eco-conservative ideologies. They explore his infamous 'Tragedy of the Commons' and its resonance amidst the 1960s population panic. The conversation also addresses Hardin's anti-immigrant stances and the influence of his ideas on modern far-right environmental rhetoric, ultimately questioning whether humanity is destined for conflict or collaboration.
Oct 25, 2025 • 44min
R. Jisung Park, "Slow Burn: The Hidden Costs of a Warming World" (Princeton UP, 2025)
R. Jisung Park, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania specializing in environmental and labor economics, sheds light on the everyday implications of climate change in his new book, 'Slow Burn'. He discusses how the hidden costs of warming, like productivity losses and impaired health, accumulate in our daily lives. Park reveals cognitive biases that shape our perception of climate risks and explores the adverse impacts of heat on work and education. He advocates for pragmatic climate dialogue and equitable policy design to combat these challenges.
Oct 25, 2025 • 45min
Jeff Neilson, "Fortress Farming: Agrarian Transitions, Livelihoods, and Coffee Value Chains in Indonesia" (Cornell UP, 2025)
Jeff Neilson, an Associate Professor specializing in economic geography, dives into the transformative world of rural Indonesia. He discusses the concept of 'fortress farming,' where smallholders use coffee cultivation as a safety net while seeking income outside agriculture. Neilson explores how off-farm activities impact farming identities and yield decisions. He highlights the challenges posed by dominant corporations in the coffee value chain and calls for new research to address stalled agrarian transitions and the future of livelihood resilience.
